I was awakened by Emma pulling my hair and crying out, if I had to guess I'd say she was hungry, I only think that because my own stomach was growling hungrily.
it was dark and quiet I wasn't sure how much I slept but I did feel a bit better, the pounding in my head lessened to the point it was bearable, but my leg and shoulder had only gotten worse, I surmised my leg was broken I would not be able to walk on it in the condition it was, my shoulder though had a hole strait though I guessed it was hard to tell at night as I tried to use the river as a mirror.
one thing at a time I told myself, I leaned over and pulled my bag out of the baby carrier and got to preparing to feed Emma, I had a glass jar in my hand it was supposed to be baby food I struggled to read the name of what it was, my dad. tried to teach me to read when I was younger and I did quite well then when he died I gave up on it I couldn't teach myself no matter how much I tried.
From what I could make out it was carrots and something else, I gave up trying to figure it out when Emma started getting impatient and louder.
after I fed Emma and took a couple handfuls of peanut butter for myself I put Emma back to her carrier and faced myself towards the water.
I had decided first thing for me to do was two wash myself off, I could feel dried mud and no doubt blood on my face could see it all down my arms and legs too.
I dragged myself into the river trying to be gentle to my leg and shoulder, I started with my feet then my good leg before gently trying to take care of my bad leg, I had to grit my teeth through the pain but by the time I was done with my legs the water around me had taken to being brown and muddy and wasn't cleaning me anymore, so I opted to venture further I went out till I could plant my good leg firmly on the ground and still have my head above water.
I was giving off so much dirt I figured I'd have to move around but the river stream swept it away well enough, I went in with my clothes still on so I started at taking them off my shirt was easy as I didn't have to move my arm that much my pants were much trickier but the being in the water was helpful I kept my underwear on just in case.
I washed my shirt and threw it out to the side it landed on the pile of twigs near Emma, I washed my pants too but instead of throwing them I used one of the pants leg to help scrub the dirt off my skin, I scrubbed till I was red and raw but felt a alot cleaner afterwards.
it was light now I was able to see my reflection clearly and my shoulder as well, it was clear that the bullet went through but it didn't seem to hit any bone just tore through muscle and skin wich ment I'd only have to worry about infection it also seemed to have stopped bleeding so that was something I had going for me.
I was about to get out when I heard it, there were voices and they were coming closer.
I stayed where I was and hoped they wouldn't see me I was pretty far in the water and Emma was sort of hidden by the pile of twigs and branches her carrier had gotten stuck on the other night.
along with that my knife and pack was next to her I had nothing, dread and panic was slowly engulfing me.
I stayed deathly still, my eyes and the top of my head peaking out of the water
I watched as they walked into the clearing.
two men one woman the two men looked identical they both looked six feet they're clothing looked clean from what I could tell one man had a pair of blue jeans and a leather jacket while the other sported a full leather outfit I knew if they found me I would have no chance knife or no knife they're shoulders were nearly as wide as the length of my leg and they looked burly and mean.
the girl looked completely different while the men where blond and looked nearly thirty the girl had curly flaming red hair and looked my age nearly fifteen, she also sported a leather jacket and a pair of jeans, she looked tough to had a hard look on her face like she'd snap anyone who dared to mess with her in two.
they all had bows and arrows in their hands and looked on high alert whatever they were talking about earlier was done with as they had stayed eerily silent as they snuck towards the other side of the clearing.
just as they where about out of sight Emma wailed loud and clear It rang through the forest and I cringed harder than I ever had before I wanted to cry as they swung around pointing they're bow and arrows at Emma they looked at each other before slowly advancing on Emma and peering over the twigs into her hiding spot.
one of the men shouldered his bow and arrow before reaching over and pulling Emma out, I wanted to jump out of the water to throw myself at them and attack them and rip her out of they're hands, but I'd be dead before I could get out of the water and what good was I to Emma if I died.
the girl pulled my pack out of its hiding spot and inspected it before noticing my shirt I could see her lips moving but couldn't here her over the growing panic in me.
as soon as she was done speaking all three of them went on high alert the man not holding Emma immediately raised his bow to the woods behind him while the girl raised her bow and started inspecting the river I immediately ducked under the water pushing my self to the bottom of the river.
I couldn't see anything I was scared to venture back up in retrospect this might not have been the best idea.
my lungs had started burning and I was getting ready to swim back up praying that they wouldn't see me when I felt a hand, it grabbed my forearm then another grabbed my shoulder prompting a scream from me I started thrashing and kicking out when another pair of hand grabbed my other side followed by a third set at my legs.
by this point my vision was black around the edges and I was fighting to get above the water more than out of they're grasp when the third set of hands grabbed my bad leg roughly I jerked back and hit my head on a rock before passing out.